Company Profile: First Solar

Cadmium telluride (CdTe) module manufacturer and utility-scale project developer

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Oil and Gas
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Categories	Inorganic thin-film modules, Utility-scale solar projects, Silicon and thin-film PV cells and modules
Relationships	General Electric (GE) (Investor) SunPower (Joint venture partner) + 5 additional customers, investors, and subsidiaries. Sign in to view

Strategy & Markets

First Solar continues to make strides in improving its thin-film cadmium-telluride (CdTe) modules (see...

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February 06, 2017	Research Report	Energy Year in Review and the Year Ahead: the top developments in 2016 and what to watch for in 2017
February 02, 2017	Research Brief	Frequency, voltage, and power: First Solar showcases the flexibility of PV plants as a future-generation asset
January 13, 2017	Research Report	Tier-One Technology Tracker: Charting the Momentum of Thin-Film Leaders Solar Frontier and First Solar
November 24, 2016	Research Brief	The place for First Solar and SunPower as fires lap their strategy
June 02, 2016	Research Brief	Case study: Gamesa joins the off-grid power game with a wind-solar-diesel-battery microgrid package
April 14, 2016	Research Brief	First Solar and Manz conserve thin-film's momentum
March 03, 2016	Research Brief	First Solar and SunPower demonstrate new efficiency records through robust R&D spending
January 06, 2016	Research Brief	Younicos gets a $50 million boost from a consortium of investors, including First Solar
December 03, 2015	Research Brief	Case study: Mining giant Rio Tinto replaces some diesel with distributed solar in Australia
November 26, 2015	Research Brief	The lure of yieldcos wanes, but they are not a sinking ship
September 28, 2015	Research Report	Community Solar: Distributing the Array to the Masses
July 23, 2015	Research Brief	Shining some light on record-low PPA prices in the southwest U.S.
July 07, 2015	Research Brief	Japan anticipates photovoltaic waste; global recyling on the horizon
June 25, 2015	Research Brief	Yieldcos are becoming popular, but what drives their success?
May 28, 2015	Research Brief	What's happening with Hanergy? A financial house of cards may be falling down
March 05, 2015	Research Brief	Unlikely partners SunPower and FirstSolar are creating a YieldCo together
February 05, 2015	Research Brief	First Solar enters the high-efficiency silicon PV market with a 100 MW line
December 11, 2014	Research Brief	First Solar invests in Clean Energy Collective for stake in residential segment
June 26, 2014	Research Brief	SolarCity acquires Silevo
May 15, 2014	Research Brief	Regional diversification in solar manufacturing continues: Southeast Asia remains the key location outside of China
May 01, 2014	Research Brief	Beyond IEC 61215 and ISO 9001: Q+ testing protocol and QMS solar manufacturing standard
April 07, 2014	Research Brief	Earnings call roundup, U.S. edition: First Solar, SunPower, and SolarCity
March 18, 2014	Research Brief	Hareon rises as leading EPC provider with another 800 MW installation inked with Chaoyang PV
February 20, 2014	Research Brief	Will sunlight and jobs be enough to power Africa's solar industry?
January 16, 2014	Research Brief	Yingli pushing Japanese business with local partnership
November 21, 2013	Research Brief	First Solar partners with JX Nippon Oil & Energy to distribute TetraSun modules
November 21, 2013	Research Brief	Solexant shuns its previous name and technology in favor of CIGS
November 14, 2013	Research Brief	GTAT and Apple grab First Solar's Arizona facility for sapphire substrate manufacturing
August 08, 2013	Research Brief	First Solar, GE launch (potentially) major partnership
May 23, 2013	Research Brief	Q1 earnings recap: Encouraging signs of recovery
May 09, 2013	Research Brief	First Solar to expand project pipeline, likely through acquisitions
April 11, 2013	Research Brief	First Solar surprise: Reaches 16.1% CdTe module efficiency and acquires TetraSun
April 04, 2013	Research Brief	New CdTe startup Reel Solar may reel in less than it hoped for
March 20, 2013	Research Brief	TS Solartech, a Malaysian solar cell company, ramping cell capacity to 640 MW by 2015
March 07, 2013	Research Brief	First Solar announces world-record CdTe cell efficiency of 18.7%, beating GE's recent record
February 21, 2013	Research Brief	For sale: Nanosolar
February 14, 2013	Research Brief	WTO set to turn up heat on domestic content requirements
January 24, 2013	Research Brief	GE keeps quiet about achieving world record CdTe efficiency
January 24, 2013	Research Brief	First Solar's EVA supplier switch may be the last blow to STR Holdings
January 17, 2013	Research Brief	Solar strugglers 2012 revisited – and bright spots for 2013
December 06, 2012	Research Brief	First Solar and SunPower overcome the Great Wall, set up roots in China
November 01, 2012	Research Brief	Could Hanergy become the Second Solar?
October 04, 2012	Research Brief	U.S. CASE emphasizes real challenge for solar is grid parity not Chinese cells
August 09, 2012	Research Brief	Manufacturing moving to Malaysia, not China
July 26, 2012	Research Brief	Intermolecular's combinatorial process system adds high-throughput capabilities to research and development
July 05, 2012	Research Brief	Schott shuts down crystalline silicon solar business
July 05, 2012	Research Brief	Cutting through the noise on Abound's bankruptcy
July 05, 2012	Research Brief	Tough times for CdTe: GE suspending module manufacturing facility plans
June 26, 2012	Research Brief	BYD's technology capability seeing increased scrutiny
May 10, 2012	Research Brief	Pricing update: Polysilicon drops below $24/kg
April 19, 2012	Research Brief	First Solar lays off its workforce, plans to exit Germany and idle capacity in Malaysia
April 12, 2012	Research Brief	1703 loan guarantee program returns
March 08, 2012	Research Brief	Solar Frontier sets new efficiency record at 17.8% making competition cut-throat with First Solar
March 01, 2012	Research Brief	Scarce financing threatens solar in India
February 16, 2012	Research Brief	Energy Conversion Devices files for bankruptcy as the end nears for a-Si
February 16, 2012	Research Brief	The future of solar project financing
February 09, 2012	Research Brief	Miasolé announces 14% module efficiency in volume production
February 09, 2012	Research Brief	Pricing update: Polysilicon prices begin to rebound as thin-film companies change strategies
January 26, 2012	Research Brief	First Solar and Q-Cells announce module efficiency records
January 05, 2012	Research Brief	Five solar companies that will struggle in 2012
December 15, 2011	Research Brief	Thin-film companies shuffle CEOs
December 08, 2011	Research Brief	Nanosolar's progress – or lack thereof – revealed at 4th Thin Film Summit USA
November 10, 2011	Research Brief	Conglomerates continue to prove a bright spot for solar
September 29, 2011	Research Brief	Loan guarantees a thing of the past with DOE looking to do damage control
September 08, 2011	Research Brief	First Solar expands further in India, signs 100 MW supply contract with Reliance Power
July 28, 2011	Research Brief	First Solar sets record CdTe cell efficiency
June 09, 2011	Research Brief	WTO Cracks Down On “Protectionist” Chinese Wind Subsides – Is Solar Next?
May 26, 2011	Research Brief	California utilities issue RFOs in an expected boom year, but which projects will make the cut?
May 05, 2011	Research Brief	Lux Executive Summit panelists and attendees shed light on key themes in solar
April 14, 2011	Research Brief	Italy's solar market reaches 3 GW in 2010 amid growing uncertainty
April 07, 2011	Research Brief	GE moves forward with large-scale solar, using CdTe technology to rival First Solar
March 24, 2011	Research Brief	Chinese module manufacturers using domestic extruders to save on EVA cost
March 10, 2011	Research Brief	New encapsulants for thin-film solar poised to hit the market
February 24, 2011	Research Brief	Calyxo receives expansion funds from Solar Fields to reach 80 MW, splits from Q-Cells
February 01, 2011	Research Brief	Obama's bold energy goals backed by $2 billion in loan guarantees
January 20, 2011	Research Brief	Post-holidays shopping spree: LDK, OCI, First Solar spending
January 06, 2011	Research Brief	Lacking funding, Tessera sells massive, 850-MW project to K Road Solar
December 16, 2010	Research Brief	First Solar reveals plans for the Indian market
October 07, 2010	Research Brief	IBM, DelSolar, and TOK venturing down the road not yet taken: CZTS
October 07, 2010	Research Brief	Lux publishes Q2 2010 Solar Supply Tracker, showing growing demand stretching upstream supply
September 23, 2010	Research Brief	Walmart diversifies solar portfolio by adding thin-film panels to store rooftops
July 08, 2010	Research Brief	Abound secures funding for capacity expansion making it a more credible competitor to First Solar
June 24, 2010	Research Brief	Lux publishes Q1 2010 Solar Supply Tracker, presenting production and capacity data by company
June 17, 2010	Research Brief	Solar Frontier, Abound, Inventux show impressive thin-film PV progress at Intersolar 2010
May 06, 2010	Research Brief	First Solar acquires NextLight for cheap shoring-up project pipeline for its increasing module manufacturing capacity
March 11, 2010	Research Brief	Solar Frontier draws a buzzing crowd at PV EXPO Japan 2010
February 18, 2010	Research Brief	Oil-strapped Jordan turns to solar and wind
January 13, 2010	Research Brief	U.S. DOE Awards $2.3 Billion in ARRA Manufacturing Tax Credits
January 07, 2010	Research Brief	"Cashivore" CIGS start-up Solyndra files for IPO to finance negative gross margins
December 03, 2009	Research Brief	5N Plus set to enter solar module recycling business
November 26, 2009	Research Brief	Chinese firms close-out quarterly earnings on an upbeat note
November 05, 2009	Research Brief	First Solar's rebate program reduces revenue, profits more than anticipated
October 08, 2009	Research Brief	First Solar may be steps closer to CIGS production
October 01, 2009	Research Brief	Attendees at 24th EU Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference fret about capacity and rush into the arms of crystalline silicon
September 17, 2009	Research Brief	Vive le soleil: France reveals revised, new photovoltaic subsidies
September 10, 2009	Research Brief	First Solar signs deal for 2 GW power plant in China
September 09, 2009	Research Brief	China plans huge solar, wind, and grid transmission projects: Will large energy storage projects be next?
August 27, 2009	Research Brief	Turnkey CIGS systems ready to enter the race – but CIGS might get stuck in the starting gates
August 13, 2009	Research Brief	Pricing update for second half of 2009: Rocky path and steep declines
June 25, 2009	Research Brief	California utility makes another solar splash
May 28, 2009	Research Brief	Showa Shell aims to make a big splash in CIGS
May 07, 2009	Research Brief	First Solar shines in Q1 2009
April 23, 2009	Research Brief	German financing situation improving, but large volumes unlikely until late 2009
April 09, 2009	Research Brief	Showa Shell makes aggressive purchase to speed ramp of CIGS production
April 02, 2009	Research Brief	Water concerns forces electricity rethink
January 22, 2009	Research Brief	First Solar actively exploring CIGS expansion
January 21, 2009	Research Brief	Stimulus package contains big money for smart grid, renewable energy
December 01, 2008	Research Brief	Start-up QSolis sets sights on new CdTe approach
November 06, 2008	Research Brief	First Solar inks partnership agreement with SolarCity
November 06, 2008	Research Brief	New, risky avenues may lift tellurium supply ceiling
October 09, 2008	Research Brief	U.S. congress bailout plan and ITC renewal
September 11, 2008	Research Brief	Copper smelters cutting out tellurium middle men
August 07, 2008	Research Brief	China mining transactions could augur trouble for First Solar
July 03, 2008	Research Brief	Governments pushing back on large-scale solar
March 27, 2008	Research Brief	Nanogram and SolFocus give news and views on solar growth opportunities
March 13, 2008	Research Brief	A tale of two elements - CdTe thin-film PV producers face risks on two fronts
March 06, 2008	Research Brief	Some First Solar lines running at 55 MW nameplate capacity, likely putting efficiencies at 12%
February 07, 2008	Research Brief	Global Solar reaches 10% efficiency for CIGS; could challenge First Solar for cost leadership
January 24, 2008	Research Brief	NanoGram raises $32 million to fund solar development
December 06, 2007	Research Brief	Honda Soltec's CIGS showing good efficiency, but not yet competitive on cost
October 04, 2007	Research Brief	Miasolé producing in small quantities
September 20, 2007	Research Brief	Attendees debate a solar "bubble" at the 2nd Energy Nanotechnology International Conference
July 19, 2007	Research Brief	CIGS developer SoloPower joins the fray by raising $30 million
July 05, 2007	Research Brief	Flexible and thin film solar cells may be better suited for mobile and portable applications

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